WAIKATO ANGLICAN CHURCH TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 188, 11 May 1928, Page 11

WAIKATO ANGLICAN CHURCH TROUBLE

Sir, —In a recent issue of “The Dominion” you published some remarks fxom a sermon preached by Dean Barnett at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton. It is hard to understand the reason for the heat displayed "by the reverend gentleman. It is well known that Church of England affairs in the Waikato Diocese are not of the happiest, and it is generally understood the reason of all the trouble is the introduction of certain practices,, contrary to the wishes of a large number of the parishioners, and because the said parishioners are determined to put up a fight to maintain the evangelical form of worship which they have been accustomed to for generations. The reverend dean suggests that persecution of the clergy as in the days, of the Reformation might be a good thing to show how zealous a particular party really are for the cause they have at heart. This is absurd. We all know how aggressive and intolerant Anglo-Catholic clergy can be. An Anglo-Catholic clergyman is appointed to a parish and unless the lay people are willing to submit to his preaching nnd innovations they can leave their church, where perhaps they have worshipped since childhood,. and go anywhere they like so long as the parson is left in undisturbed possession to carry on as he thinks fit. There is no redress. Petitions are useless. As in the navy, so in the church, authority must be upheld. The result is that the church is losing not only scores but hundreds of its most devoted and loyal supporters. “Ignorant” and “narrow” is a very common expression when others happen to differ from this type of clergyman. “Ignorance and prejudice” were attributed to members of the House of Commons who opposed the passing of the revised prayer book. It would seem tluit the Anglo-Catholic clergy are the only repository of wisdom on nil matters ecclesiastic and spiritual. The parishioners of Hamilton have my sincere sympathy, and I trust they will stick to their guns and light it out.-I am, etc., LoyALTy> I'aeroa, May 4.